Luminous dial cover



May 31, 1932- E. cARRoLL LUMINOUS DIAL COVER Filed Nov. 50, 1931 INVENTOR, Ire/7c Z C62-rail. 8;/

ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 31, 1932 temete PATENT OFFICE IRENE E. CARROLL, 0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI LUMINOUS DIAL (BOVER Application ledN'ovmber 30, 1931. l Serial No. 577,914.

This invention relates to attachments for dial telephones and has particular reference to a new article of manufacture in the form of a luminous cover for the dial on the telephone which may be aiiixed thereto without diiiiculty and without the use of special tools or the necessity of disassembling the parts of the telephone in any manner.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a cover for the marked face of a dial telephone, which cover is provided with luminous indicia of a nature which may be seen in the dark in order that dialing may be accomplished without the use of any illuminating means other than the inherent quality of the luminous indicia which form a part of the cover made in accordance with this invention.

A yet further object of the instant invention is to provide an attachment for dial telephones that may be aixed to the dial beneath the revolvingplate thereof in such fashion that displacement is precluded and the attachment is such that the same becomes practically a part of the dial.

It is well known that dial telephones cannot be used in unlighted telephone booths or in darkened corners or locations because the I letters and figures of the dial must be visible before it is possible to manipulate the same to call the desired number. It is to overcome this undesirable feature of the dial telephone that this invention has been conceived and while many forms of the article may be produced, the preferred embodiment of the invention is herewith illustrated to fully disclose the invention in its most vdesirable form.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a face view of a telephone dial equipped with a luminous cover made in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the dial assembly with the cover shown in section, said section being on line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is another edge elevation of a dial assembly, with the luminous cover in place.

Fig. 4 is a face view of the dial cover embodying the features of the present invention showing the same in an expanded position ready for placement.

Fig, 5 is a fragmentary, vertical section through the interlocked ends of the top members forming a part of the dial cover, and,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged, vertical section through a portion of the cover.

Like reference characters are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views, and the numeral 10 indicates a telephone equipped with the usual dial assembly Which may include the body 12, reciproeating plate 14 and stop 16. Stop 16 is ailixed to body 12 in the well known manner and over hangs plate 14. A series of windows 18 is formed in plate 14 through which may be viewed the indicia usually carried by the face 20 of body 12. These parts of the dial assembly are common and well known, and it is with the same that the article made in accordance with this invention is combined to perform the valuable function of rendering visible in the dark the indicia positioned beneath plate 14.

This article of manufacture may be formed of sheet meta-l, material o`f a nitrocellulose base composition, fiber board or any other suitable substance which may be cut and molded to produce the contour illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The article itself consists of a pair of arcuate top members 22, articulated as at 24 through the intermediacy of depending annular side walls 25, one of which is formed as a part of each half of the cover. The top member 22 should be formed to present a contour eX- actly like' the face 2O of body 12 and preferably lies snugly thereagainst when the cover is in position. To insure such snug fitting, each depending annular side wall 25 is turned inwardly to form a iiange 27 which engages beneath body 12 and between the same and the base of telephone 10.

Fig. 4 illustrates the cover in position ready to be placed upon the body 12 ,of the dial assembly and since the material forming the side walls 25 is bendable, the connection at 24 is flexed so that the free ends of top members '22 are moved together to completely house body 12. It is desirable to render this attachment positivelyl non-removable after once placing the same in the operativo position. It is a part of this invention, therefore, to provide a latch to interconnect the free ends of top membersl 22, which latch ma not be operated to remove the cover wit out practically destroying the same. In its preferred form the latch just mentioned comprises a plate 26 and a plate 28, the former having an opening `30 therethrough for the reception of a tongue 32 struck from plate 28. These plates may be aixed to their respective top members by spot welding, soldering, cementing or riveting. Tongue 32 should lie beneath the respective top member 22, and its plate 28 should roject beyond the end of top member 22. eVhen the ends of said top members 22 are brought together, plate 26 is inserted between plate 28 and its supporting top member 22 and forced along until tongue 32 snaps into opening 30, the resiliency of the materlal being sufcient to cause such action. The projected end of plate 28 allows plate 26 to engage and move the free end of plate 28 away from its top member 22. When this operation takes place, top members 22 cannot be moved apart and the abutting free ends form a joint as at 34 while the abutting ends adj acent the hinged ends form a joint as at 36. When the latch just described is operating, flanges 27 are held beneath body 12 and the cover cannot be lifted.

As a further point of novelty, means is provided for precluding rotation on the part of this cover as reciprocating plate 14 is bein moved to dial a number. To carry out this feature, stop 16 is utilizedv to the extent that side walls 25 are cut away as at 38 to clear stop 16, yet to rest thereagainst in the event some force urges the cover to move with plate 14. Fig. 3 illustrates clearly the method of cutting away side walls 25 and an eil'ective stop is thereby established to further add to the eiliciency of the device.

Face 20 of body 12 is normally provided with indicia for use in dialing a number. These same indicia are inscribed upon each top member 22 so that when the cover is in place it will register exactly with the indicia which formerly showed through windows 18. To render indicia 40 of top members22 visible in the dark, the same are made of luminous substance and then protected by a. transparent coating 42 which is hard enough to withstand the abrasive action imparted thereto by fin r nails sharp instruments as plate 14 is ing m nipulated to dial a number. Transparent coating 42 may be a lacquer or a nitro-cellulose coating of any suitable nature that will allow indicia 40 to be seen, yet protect the same.

It must be understood that the cover made in accordance with this invention may be used with dial telephones of various types and that while the specific form illustrated in the drawings has been described, other members; luminous indicia corresponding points of the invention may be built into the article without departin from the spirit of the same or the scope of e appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A cover for marked telephone dials comprising a pair of hingedly connected top to the dial marking carried by the top members; means to interlock said members in ition on said dial with the luminous indicia overlying the indicia of the dial; a depending side wall on each top member; and an inturned flange at the edge of each wall.

2. A cover for marked telephone dials comrising a pair of articulated top members; uminous indicia corresponding to the dial markings, carried by the top members; means to interlock said members in position on said dial with the luminous indicia in re r with the markings of the dial; a depen in ilange integral with each to member; am? means formed by said depen ing flanges to preclude rotary displacement of said top members after the same are positioned.

3. A cover :for marked telephone dials comprising a pair of articulated top members' uminous indicia corresponding to the dial markin carried by the top members, means to inter ock said members in position on said dial with the luminous indicia in re with the markings of the dial; a epending flange integral with each to member; means formed by said depending anges to preclude rotary displacement of said top members after the same are positioned; and a member formed by each flange to prevent raisin said cover from a position inst the dial ace.

4. As a new article o manufacture, an attachment for dial telephones comprising a pair of hingedly connected top members; a depending side wall integral with each top member respectively; an inturned formed along the free edge of each wall; and means to interlock said top members.

5. An attachment for telephone dials comprising a pair of arcuate, hin y connected top members and a latch to interlock said members inc uding a pair of overlap ing plates, a tongue formed by one of said pates and an opening formed through the other plate, said tongue enterin said opening whereby the plates are lockeg together.

6. An attachment for telephone dials comprising a pair of arcuate, hin ly connected top members; a depending si e wall integral with each top member; means formed by said side walls to maintain said top members in fixed predetermined position, and luminous indicia carried by each top member.

7 An attachment for telephone dials oomprising a pair of arcuate, hingedly connected top members; a depending side wall integral with each top member; means formed by laid side walls to maintain said top members in fixed predetermined dicia carried by eac top member; and a latch to interlock said top members against relative movement about the hinge connec-v tion.

8. An attachment for tele hone dials comprising a cover to house the dy of the dial assembly;` luminous indicia formed on the upper face of said cover; a trans arent coating overlying the entire upper ace of said cover includm said luminous indicia; and means formed y the cover to maintain the same against movement after being positioned over the said dial body.

9. In an attachment for telephone dials having designations thereon, a cover comv prising a pair of arcuate top members; a continuous dependin wall formed along the outer arcuate edge o both top members whereby to also interconnect the same; an inturned flange formed by the free edge of said wall; luminous indicia, correspondmg to the designations of said dial, carried by the face of said top members to overlie the designations when said cover is in lace; and a latch to secure together the en s of said top members,=

said latch including a pair of overlapping plates having interenga 'ng means whereby to hold the adjacentV eng; of said top membersl in abutting relation when said cover is 1n ace.

n testimony whereof, I hereunto aix my signature.

IRENE E. CARROLL.

sition; luminous in- 

